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The Return of Letty 



A Comedy in One Act 



BY 



ALICE C. THOMPSON 

Author of "HER SCARLET SLIPPERS," "MISS SUSAN'S 
FORTUNE." etc. 




PHILADELPHIA 

THE PENN PUBLISHING COMPANY 

1909 






Copyright 1909 by The Penn Publishing Company 



The Return of Letty 



LIBRARY of CONGRESS 
Two Codes Received ] 

MAY 22 1909 J 

XXc. 
_ 6 

cdpy 



cuaf If xx 

cdpy 3. 



The Return of Letty 



CHARACTERS 



Mrs. Ruggs ..... Letty' 's mother. 

& D H^ N } • • ■ friths of ike family. 

Ruth Carey . . . . . Lett/ s cousin. 
Celeste ..... Letty' s French maid. 

Lauretta Montgomery Letty. 

Time in Representation : — Forty- five minutes. 



COSTUMES 

Mrs. Ruggs. Old-fashioned country dress, with apron 
and spectacles. 

Amanda. Village belle. Fancy calico dress, over- 
trimmed hat, lace mitts and red parasol. Carries bunch of 
daisies. 

Phcebe. Same general style costume as Amanda. 
Cotton gloves and bouquet of bright flowers. 

Ruth. A pretty girl about thirteen years of age. 
Gingham dress and apron, the latter with a large rent in 
it. Sunbonnet. Hair in braids. 

Celeste. Stylish black dress with long linen motor coat, 
veil and gloves. Small hat. 

Letty. Stylish traveling costume, with long, handsome 
motoring coat, fashionable hat, large veil, gloves, and 
automobile goggles. Change to short gingham dress with 
white apron. Hair done in long braids, carries sunbonnet. 

Time. — To-day — an early summer afternoon. 



PROPERTIES 

Sock and knitting-needles, work-basket, vase, books, 
daisies, other country flowers, a pie, newspapers, a small 
tub or dishpan full of water, hand-bag, and traveling-bag, 
white table-cloth, knives and forks, plates, a pitcher, a din- 
ner bell, an auto horn. 



The Return of Letty 



SCENE. — A farmhouse sitting-room. At c. in flat is a 
door. Another l. i e. l. in flat is a window opening 
out. At r. a cupboard with cups, saucers and plates. 
At r. c. a table covered with a cloth, on it a vase and a 

few books and a work-basket. Near the table a rocking- 
chair. At l. a large armchair, another rocker, a smaller 
chair and a child's little wooden rocker. A rag mat on 

floor. 

(The curtain rises to discover Mrs. Ruggs seated r. c. 
She is a motherly- looking woman, wearing spectacles and 
old-fashioned country dress and apron. As she rocks 
she knits on a purple sock. She rises, goes to window 
and looks out ; returns to chair, shaking her head with a 
sigh. Enter c., Ruth Carey. She, carries in her hand 
a sunbonnet with a single string.') 

Ruth (in great excitement). Aunt Mary, Aunt Mary, is 
it true that Cousin Letty will be home to-day ? 

Mrs. Ruggs (turning slowly). Ruth ! Bless the child ! 
Why, you're all het up and out o' breath. 

Ruth. I've been running. May I sit in Cousin Letty's 
chair ? 

Mrs. Ruggs. Come here. (Ruth goes to her.) Just 
look at your apron. Ain't you ashamed of yourself, a great 
girl like you ? 

Ruth. Oh, I did that climbing over the fence. I wish 
they wouldn't put " bobbed " wire on the posts. It's mean 
of them. 

Mrs. Ruggs. You're too old to climb fences. 

Ruth (mischievously). But you know Cousin Letty 
climbed fences till she was a big girl, till she was grown up. 

Mrs. Ruggs. So she did ! She was a regla' tomboy ; 
just like you ! 



6 THE RETURN OF LETTY 

Ruth (skipping). Oh, then there's hope for me ! 
Maybe I'll go on the stage and become famous too. 

Mrs. Ruggs {severely). You'll never become famous by 
going around with your clothes all coming to pieces. You'll 
jest get the name of being an untidy good for nothing. Look 
at your sunbonnet on one string. 

Ruth (pouting). I didn't come over here to be 
scolded. 

Mrs. Ruggs. Maybe not, and I guess your ma didn't see 
you before you left. Get a needle and thread out of the 
basket there, and mend the rent in your apron, like a good 
girl. 

Ruth. May I sit in Cousin Letty's little chair? 

(Goes to basket for thread and needle.*) 

Mrs. Ruggs. Yes, you may. (Ruth sits in small 
chair and sews on apron.) There, you're the first one 
that's sot in that little chair — sence Letty went away. I've 
kep' it up in the attic till this very hour. And now she's 
coming home ; Letty's coming home. I can hardly be- 
lieve it. 

(There is a knock at c. Mrs. Ruggs starts nervously.') 

Ruth. Perhaps that's Letty. {Opens door c. and 
Amanda Alton enters. Ruth, disappointed.') No, it's 
only Amanda. 

Amanda. Only Amanda indeed 1 Good- afternoon, Aunt 
Mary. (Comes down c. and kisses Mrs. Ruggs.) 

Mrs. Ruggs (rising). La me, Amanda! How stylish 
you are ! (Feels material of her dress.) A new gown and 
a new hat. And lace mitts. My ! My ! 

Amanda (pleased). It is in honor of Letty. And these 
daisies are for her. Ruth, please put them in water. (Ruth 
rises and takes daisies. Exits at l.) When do you ex- 
pect Letty? 

Mrs. Ruggs. I expect her any minute. I kinder 
thought that was her when you knocked. Sit down, 
Amanda, you might as well stay. (Both seat themselves.) 
You know she wouldn't let us meet the train. Pa wanted 
to take the new buggy and the gray mare and bring her 
back, but Letty says, "No, let me come in my own way." 
I shouldn't be surprised if she just dropped down the 
"chimbly." 



THE RETURN OF LETTY , 7 

Amanda. Like Santy Claus, eh ? Yes, Letty always did 
surprising things. Fancy her being an actress ! And yet, 
it's not to be wondered at. She was the best speaker at 
school. She always got the longest pieces. I remember 
her getting up and speaking " The Burglar's Daughter." 
You know it. She had to give three yells for help. 

Mrs. Ruggs {delightedly}. Yes, I remember, when the 
police are after her pa. {Rises.) 

Amanda {rising). And the way she did it was so nateral. 
( Im i fating Letty . ) Help! 

Mrs. Ruggs {also imitating Letty). Hel-p ! 

Amanda {piercingly). Oh, help! — me father 

{Reenter Ruth hurriedly with the daisies in a large 
pitcher.) 

Rutk. What's the matter ? Oh, what's happened ? 

{Puts daisies on table and rims to Amanda.) 

Amanda {sitting). And the girls in the front row put 
their fingers in their ears and just screeched till Miss Tibbs 
had to call for order. 

(Mrs. Ruggs sits down.) 

Mrs. Ruggs. Yes, and pa declared that as long as Letty 
practiced that piece he'd keep a loaded gun handy. Oh, 
Letty sure was a born actress. (Ruth sits in the little 
chair.) Yes, I always said from the start she was going to 
be different. Not a bit like her sisters, Martha and Annie. 
All they thought of was to get married, and married they 
got. 

Amanda. Like Cousin Jennie. Aunt Rachel had twelve 
yards of rag carpet put away for a wedding present for the 
first of her girls to get married. Well, I do believe Jennie 
took Hiram jest on purpose to get that rag carpet. 

Mrs. Ruggs. I went to the wedding. The last words 
she says to her mother as she druv off with her new husband 
were, " Well, I got that rag carpet all right." I never saw 
a happier looking bride. 

Amanda. But Letty always said she had a future to 
look to. 

Mrs. Ruggs. Yes, a " carrier " she called it. And 
there she'd sit up in her little room in the attic, long after 
all of us had gone to bed, porin' over a big book by lamp- 



8 THE RETURN OF LETTY 

light, or reciting long pieces as if she had a hundred folks 
settiu' and watchin' her. I kin hear her yet. Oh, Letty 
was always my cleverest, my prettiest child. 

{Takes off glasses and zvipes them.) 

Amanda. And she knew it, without being conceited. 
One day she says to me : " Amanda," she says, both of us 
were sitting on the back stoop, " Amanda, 1 think I was 
born fur something else besides sittin' on the back stoop 
looking at the pig." 

Mrs. Ruggs {complacently). Yes, that sounds like 
Letty. 

Amanda. I don't blame her. Pigs are all very well in 
their way, but they're no comp'ny for ladies. ( With dignity.) 
I prefer gentlemen. 

Ruth. Has Cousin Letty made a lot of money ? 

Mrs. Ruggs. Well, I should say ! She makes as much 
money as a senator. Why, she's paid off the mortgage and 
bought that thirty acre lot that pa had his eyes on for years. 
I remember the day the letter came with the check 

(A loud knock at c. All Jump up in excitement.') 

{Enter c., Phcebe Hicks. She carries a bouquet of bright 
colored flowers and a pie on a plate.) 

Phcebe {shrilly). Is Letty here ? 

{The others sit down again.) 

Mrs. Ruggs. Not yet. Come in, Phcebe. Come and 
wait. 

Phcebe. Oh, I'd like to. I've brought her a pie from 
mother, and some flowers. Hello, Amanda ! Will you put 
these in water, Ruth ? Letty was alway crazy about flowers. 

(Phcebe puts the pie on table.) 

Amanda. I kind of thought you'd be here, Phcebe. 

(Ruth takes flowers and goes out at l.) 

Phcebe. Well, I should say so ! If Letty's old friends 
don't come to welcome her, who would ? 

Mrs. Ruggs. That's right. Sit down, Phcebe. 
Phcebe {sitting). Gloves are hot things, but stylish. 



THE RETURN OF LETTY 9 

Mrs. Ruggs. Why not take them off ? 

Phc-Ebe. Not before Letty comes. We don't want to 
seem old-fashioned and countrified to her, do we, Amanda? 

Amanda. Not much. Lttty's sure to be stylish. 

Phoebe. Aunt Mary, what is Letty's stage name ? 

Mrs. Ruggs. Oh, my dear, I've clean forgotten it ; it's 
so grand. But wait till I get the paper. {Rises and takes 
a bundle of newspapers from the cupboard.) Here it is, 
Lauretta Mountgommery. 

Amanda. Lauretta Montgomery. My word ! 

Phcebe (rising). I wonder wherever she got it. 

Mrs. Ruggs. Likely out of the dictionary. Lauretta 
sounds pretty nateral because she was christened that, 
though we never called her by it. But Mountgommery is 
too much for me. (Sits down.) 

Phcebe {looking at newspapers). And these are her 
pictures ? 

Mrs. Ruggs. Yes, in all the " charackters " she has 
played. And a whole lot about her life. They can't hear 
too much about Letty, it seems. 

Phcebe. It's wonderful. See, here she is as — as 
(slowly) the Duchess of Bellingham. 

(Amanda rises and looks over her shoulder.) 

Amanda. And that's Letty, our Letty. 

(Reenter Ruth with a small tub or dishpan in which she 
has placed the flowers. She puts it down. ) 

Ruth. Any more flowers ? 

Phcebe. Oh, look at the child ! 

Ruth. Aunt Mary, I'm going down the road a piece 
to see if Letty's coming. Uncle Eben has fixed up a lot of 
daisies over the front gate, and Bill and Lew and Joshua are 
waiting at the corners with a great big streamer saying 
" Welcome." It's tacked on two poles and when she comes 
they'll each take a pole and raise it up over the road, in 
front of her. (Raises arms.) 

Phcebe. Isn't that beautiful? 

Mrs. Ruggs. Oh, the boys are jest about crazy over 
Letty's return. They had a lot of fixin' up to do and poor 
Josh' wanted to get up an hour earlier. (Laughs.) I de- 
clare to goodness, if he didn't contrive to have three alarm 
clocks in his room, all set for four o'clock, He says when 



10 THE RETURN OF LETTY 

they all started to onc't, he woke up with a yell thinking 
the Day of Judgment had come. {The girls laugh.') 

Ruth. Aunt Mary, will they wake us up with alarm 
clocks at the Day of Judgment ? 

Mrs. Ruggs {turning). Bless the child ! What ques- 
tions you ask ! You'd better run along, Ruth, but don't go 
far because we don't know which way she'll come. She 
might take a notion to come by way of Birdsville. 

(Amanda sits down.) 

Ruth. I'll be back soon. 

{Exit at c.) 

Phcebe {sitting). How excited the child is ! 

Mrs. Ruggs. Letty was always good to her. And she 
seems to remember her as if 'twas yesterday ; though it's 
four years since any of us have seen her. 

(Amanda rises and looks out of window.) 

Phcebe. Four years. {Slowly.) The Duchess of Bell- 
ingham. The Duchess of Bellingham. It's terribly grand. 

Mrs. Ruggs. Letty always had a fondness for high 
sounding names with tails, jest as she liked " characters" 
with tails to their gowns. How well I remember her step- 
ping around like a princess with the bed cover tied to her 
for a long trained gown ! 

Phcebe {suddenly). Oh, Aunt Mary, do you think she'll 
remember us ? 

Mrs. Ruggs. Remember us, Phcebe? Why, what do 
you mean ? 

Phcebe. I have an awful feeling that Letty may have 
turned too grand. We may not be stylish enough for her. 
She may look down on us for plain, country folk. Oh, if 
she does, it'll break my heart ! {Begins to cry.) 

Mrs. Ruggs. Be you out of your mind, Phcebe Hicks ? 
Our Letty too grand for her own folks, for her old mother 
and the playmates she made daisy chains with long ago ? 

(Phcebe sobs.) 

Amanda {eoming down c.). Phcebe, don't take on so. 

Phcebe. Oh, but I feel it coming. She's gone so far, 
so far and here we are just where she left us, four years ago. 
Not a bit richer, not a bit more fashionable. 



THE RETURN OF LETTY II 

Mrs. Ruggs. Shame on you, Phcebe ! Even yet you 
don't know my Letty. 

Amanda. If I thought Letty would be different, I'd go 
home. 

Mrs. Ruggs. Sit down, Amanda. 

(Amanda sits down meekly.) 

Phcebe (tearfully). Don't you remember Liza Perkins? 
She went to the city and got engaged to a plumber and 
when she came home and went to the Sunday-school picnic, 
you remember what she did when poor Jake Hopkins ate 
pie with his knife. Liza jist riz up and gave him one look, 
and took her vittles and went and ate them alone under a 
weeping willow. (Weeps.) 

Mrs. Ruggs (confidently). My Letty isn't engaged 
to any plumber. 

Amanda. No, she's gone far higher. 

Phcebe. Lauretta Montgomery. The Duchess of Bell- 
ingham. The Duchess 

(Enter Ruth c, in great excitement.) 

Ruth. She's coming. Letty 's coming. (All rise.) 

Mrs. Ruggs. Where, where is she ? 

Ruth. Down the road, near the schoolhouse. Listen ! 
She's coming in an automobile, a great big red one with 
four trunks on behind and a man in front, and a lady with 
her all covered up in a veil. And so's Cousin Letty. I 
didn't know her at first. And the man stopped the auto- 
mobile to fix something, and she took off her veil and those 
queer things on her eyes, and she saw me. 

Mrs. Ruggs. Did you speak to her ? 

Ruth. No'm. I got behind a tree. 

Mrs. Ruggs. You got behind a tree ! Shame on you ! 
Why didn't you up and speak to her ? 

Ruth. I — I was scared. And after they went on I 
could only smell coal oil. 

(There is a sound of an automobile horn without at c. 
Phcebe runs to tub and gets out her floivers dripping 
wet, and her pie from the table. Amanda takes her 
flowers from the pitcher. All range themselves in a stiff 
row, looking expectantly at c. There is a quick knock 
followed by the entrance of Letty and Celeste, c. door. 



12 THE RETURN OF LETTY 

Letty carries a small hand-bag. Celeste carries a 
traveling-bag.} 

Mrs. Ruggs (as they enter and with a little scream). 
Oh, my soul ! 

(Phcebe drops pie off plate and Amanda her daisies.) 

Letty. Mother ! (She holds out her hands but Mrs. 
Ruggs backs away. Letty, with a laugh, pulls off veil 
and goggles and runs to her.} Now, do you know me? 
It's Letty. {Kisses her.) And here is Amanda ! And 
Phoebe 1 How good of you to come and welcome me home ! 
{Both retreat a little.) And little Ruth ! You ran away 
from me just now, didn't you ? (Goes to her. Ruth runs 
to Mrs. Ruggs.) Why, you're not frightened of Cousin 
Letty, Ruth ? 

Mrs. Ruggs. She's just a little bit bashful, my dear. 
You see, it's four years since any of us have seen you. 

(Celeste is meanwhile looking about the room in great 
contempt. ) 

Letty. Do you think I've changed ? 
Amanda ) 

Phcebe I (together). Oh, yes. 
Ruth ) 

(Unseen by Letty, Ruth moves the little rocker into a 
cor tier.) 

Letty. My ! I was glad to get here. I never had 
such a drive in my life. The roads are awful, inches deep 
in dust. 

(Amanda picks up her flowers, and Phcebe her pie.) 

Phcebe. Are you fond of automobiling — Miss Mont- 
gomery ? 

Letty (astonished). Miss Montgomery! (Laughs.) 
Oh, Phcebe ! 

Celeste (sharply). Shall I vait here till to-morrow, 
m'am'selle ? 

Letty. Oh, Celeste, I forgot. This is my maid, mother. 

Mrs. Ruggs. Your what ? 

Letty. My maid— -my French maid. Can Ruth show 
her to her room ? 



THE RETURN OF LETTY 1 3 

Mrs. Ruggs, Her room ! Why, I don't believe I have 
a room, Letty. 1 didn't expect you'd — bring a friend, you 
see. 

Letty. Oh, never mind. She can go up to mine. Am 
I to have my own little room in the atlic, mother ? 

Mrs. Ruggs. Yes, the same little room, Letty. No one 
has used it — sence you went away. 

Letty. I'm so glad. I'll show her the way. 

(Goes to l. Removes motor coat and hat and gives them to 
Celeste.) 

Amanda {aside to Phcebe). You're right, Phoebe. 
This is Miss Montgomery. 

Phoebe {aside and sadly). No, it's the Duchess of Bell- 
ingham, and I expect the Dook will follow. 

Letty. Go up those stairs, Celeste, and turn to the left. 
It is the room facing you. Unpack my bag, and put out 
my blue silk negligee. 

Celeste. Very well, m'am'selle. 

{Looks around with scorn and exits at L.) 

Mrs. Ruggs. What does she call you ? 

Letty. M'am'selle. That's French for Miss. But do 
sit down, all of you. Please don't stand. You look so un- 
comfortable. (All sit except Ruth, who remains standing 
beside Mrs. Ruggs. Letty removes her long gloves.) 
And now tell me all the news. How is everybody? Where 
are the boys ? 

Mrs. Ruggs {surprised). Didn't you see them? 

Letty. No, 1 haven't seen anybody except Ruth, who 
ran away from ire. {Smiles.) Where's dad ? 

Mrs. Ruggs. He was going to meet you at the gate. 

Letty. Well, he didn't. It seems very strange. 

Mrs. Ruggs. And Lew and Bill and Joshua were wait- 
ing on the road by the schoolhouse. 

Letty. I didn't see them. How hot it is ! The room 
seems stuffy. Ruth, please open the window. There was 
so much dust on the roads. I never saw anything like it. 
I think I'll have to take a bath and go to bed. 

Mrs. Ruggs. Take a bath in the daytime ! 

Ruth. This isn't Saturday. 

Letty {puzzled). This isn't Saturday? Oh, I see! 
How delicious ! — the weekly tub. How truly rural ! 



14 THE RETURN OF LETTY 

Amanda (rising). I think I'll go. 
Letty. So soon, Amanda ? 
Phcebe (rising). So shall I. (Drops the pie.) 
Letty. What's that? Oh, it's a pie, a real old-fash- 
ioned country pie. 

Phcebe. It was a pie — green apple. 
Letty. But it's more like squash pie now. 

(Laughs. Phcebe picks it tip.) 

Phcebe (stiffly). Mother made it. 
Letty. For me? 

(Phcebe tucks the pie under her arm.) 

Mrs. Ruggs (very uncomfortable). Ruth, go and tell 
your uncle Letty's here. 

Ruth. No, he won't come. He's — hiding in the barn. 

Letty. Dad, hiding in the barn ! 

Mrs. Ruggs. Nonsense, Ruth. And the boys, go and 
fetch 'em. 

Ruth. And they won't come either, none of 'em. 
When they saw the automobile they all got down in the 
ditch, and so it went over the " welcome," 'stead of under it. 

Letty. In the ditch ! How absurd ! 

Ruth. And now they've taken off their best clothes and 
put on their overalls again. 

Letty (rising). I believe you're all afraid of me. 
(Picks up netvspaper.) What's this? An old paper with 
my picture. Miss Lauretta Montgomery as the Duchess of 
Bellingham. Oh, pshaw ! 

Phcebe. That's just what you seem like to us. 

Letty. What, I ? 

Amanda. Yes, the Duchess of Bellingham. Good-bye. 

Letty. Why, my old friends — 

(A sudden noise at l. Celeste bursts into the room still 
wearing her hat and cloak.) 

Celeste. It ees impossible — it ees impossible. That I 
sleep in that so small room ! And but one leetle wood bed, 
with a cotton cover. And one so small vindow that gives 
on the duck pond. Oh, raon Dieu ! It ees impossible. 

Letty. What is the matter, Celeste ? 



THE RETURN OF LETTY I5 

Celeste {excitedly). I so near break my haid going up 
those stairs, like a ladder. And when I come up, I find 
a leelle room like dis {makes a circle with fingers), an' 
I turn round, I boomp my haid on ze wall, an' when I 
look back I boomp it on ze other wall. (Ruth laughs.) 
Mon Dieu ! Where is the hot and cold water ? I see 
nossin but one crack pitcher. I see no 'lectric light, no gas, 
nossin but smoky ole lamp. What a house ! It ees not 
feet for savages. 

Letty. That will do ! That will do, Celeste. You may 
go! 

Celeste. Oh, yes, I will go at once. 

Letty. You may take a holiday. I don't know when 
I shall want you again. Here are your wages. Ask John 
to take you to the train in the motor. 

{Gives her money from purse.*) 

Celeste. Thank you, m'am'selle. Your negligee lies on 
ze bed. And your brushes and cold cream and powder are 
on ze ole bureau. Ah, who will do your so beeutiful hair ? 

Letty. I'll do it myself. 

Celeste. And your leetle nails, like peenk shells. Oh, 
I leave you with a tousand pardons, m'am'selle, a million 
tousand pardons. Au revoir. 

Letty. Good-bye, Celeste. 

{Exit Celeste at c, kissing her hand. Ruth runs to 
window. A moment later the sound of the auto horn is 
heard.*) 

Mrs. Ruggs. I'm glad she's gone. How she spoke of 
your room. She made fun of it ; your little room that I've 
kept for you. And it's all true, it's all true, Letty. 

{Sinks into chair.") 

Letty. What do you mean, mother? 

Mrs. Ruggs. Oh, it is true. There is nothing but a 
little wooden bed with a red and white cotton quilt — the 
very quilt you slept under when you were a tiny girl. And 
the pitcher is cracked. And there's only a smoky old lamp, 
and an old worm-eaten bureau. It's not fit for you, Letty, 
it's not fit for you. {Covers her face with her hands.) 

Letty. Mother, don't. You hurt me dreadfully. You 



l6 THE RETURN OF LETTY 

mustn't mind what Celeste said — she doesn't understand. 
Do you think I'd sleep in any other room? Do you know 
what it means to me to come back to that little attic room, 
back from the world? (Letty looks at Amanda and 
Phcebe.) Oh, I see, I see. You are afraid of me. You 
think I've changed. 

(Mrs. Ruggs rises.) 

Phcebe (slowly). Yes. 

Amanda. Yes. 

Letty. Because I've got on this dress? Because I've 
come from the great city ? I, who used to be nothing but a 
iittle country girl? Oh, for four years I've lived where 
there's nothing but excitement and luxury, lived in the 
blare of a brass band. I've almost forgotten what it is to 
see green fields and daises, to meet simple, kindly, natural 
people. (She sees the little rocking-chair.) Why, what's 
this? (Picks it up.) My little old rocking-chair 1 Oh, 
how it brings my childhood back to me, the summer morn- 
ings when I sat on the porch, shelling peas, mother baking 
bread in the kitchen. (Puts it down.) Well, I'm too big 
for it now but — here, Ruth. (Ruth runs and takes it.) 
Don't think I'm acting now. (Earnestly.) Forgive me, 
oh, forgive me. I'm going up-stairs. Please wait, do 
wait. (Goes to l.) I'm going up to my own little room. 
Dear little room where I dreamed such bright dreams ! 
Darling little room ! 

(Exit L.) 

Mrs. Ruggs {sitting). Oh, Letty, Letty ! 

Amanda. I can't help it, I love her still. 

Phcebe. And so do I. Oh, do you think she'd care for 
this pie now? 

Mrs. Ruggs. I think she's come to herself. 

Ruth. She gave me, me, the little chair. 

Mrs. Ruggs. It must seem plain to her, this old house, 
she who's used to so much. Never mind ; you run out and 
round up the boys and uncle, Ruth. (Ruth goes to c.) 
Wait a minute. Tell 'em that was a strange lady they saw. 
And she's gone. Tell 'em Letty has come back. 

Ruth. All right, Aunt Mary. 

(Exit at C.) 



THE RETURN OF LETTY 1 7 

Mrs. Ruggs (rising). It's near six o'clock, time for 
supper. I'll set the table. 

(Removes books and cloth from table.) 

Phcebe. I'll help. 

Amanda. So will I. 

Mrs. Ruggs. Set places for nine. 

(The three begin to set table, Mrs. Ruggs taking white 
cloth from cupboard.) 

Phcebe. Aunt Mary, I have an awful fear. 

Mrs. Ruggs. What is it now, Phcebe ? 

Phcebe. I'm afraid Letty will come down in something 
more stylish than ever. You heard what she said to that 
French girl : " Unpack my bag and lay out my blue silk " — 
blue silk — anyway, it's something grand, I know, some- 
thing with a tail. 

Mrs. Ruggs (with a sigh). Well, we've just got to be 
prepared to meet it. We can all contrive to keep in front 
of her or shut our eyes when she turns her back. 

Amanda. She may come in with a crown on. Don't 
duchesses wear crowns ? 

Phcebe. My land ! If she does. 

(Puts hand to heart.) 

Amanda. If we could only see her as she used to be ! 

Mrs. Ruggs. What a tomboy she was ! I was always 
a-scolding her. 

Amanda. I can see her now, jumping the fences. 

Phcebe. Or climbing an apple tree. 

Amanda. She couldn't do that in a blue silk, blue silk 
—tail. 

(Letty is heard singing at l.) 

Phcebe. Here she comes ! 

(Letty runs in l. She wears a short gingham dress, a 
little white apron, her hair in two long braids, and 
carries a faded pink sunbonnet in one hand, by a single 
string. ) 

Mrs. Ruggs. Letty ! 
Amanda. Letty ! 



l8 THE RETURN OF LETTY 

Phcebe. It is — the real Letty. 

(Letty runs to Mrs. Ruggs who embraces her. Then 
Phcebe and Amanda run and kiss her. ) 

Letty. Yes, it's the old Letty back again. The dear 
little room put me all right. It was a bridge across the 
years. And then I found these clothes. Let's forget I am 
an actress. Here I am, just Letty Ruggs. You'll stay to 
supper, girls. 

Phcebe {brightening). Oh, thank you. 

Amanda. Indeed we will. 

Letty. Let us help with supper. Is this apple pie 
for me? 

Phcebe. Yes, for you. {Takes her hand.) Oh, Letty, 
we've got you back again. 

(Mrs. Ruggs puts plates on table.) 

{Enter Ruth, c.) 

Ruth. They're coming. Oh, Letty ! 

{Runs to her and throws her anus around her neck.) 

Letty. They're coming — dad and the boys. {Goes to 
door, opening it wide.) There they are, washing at the 
pump. Hello, dad. {Waves hands.) They see me. 
Hello, Bill — here's Letty. I've come back. {Picks up 
dinner bell.) Supper's ready ! 

{Rings bell at door, c. Amanda and Phcebe stand to- 
gether, Mrs. Ruggs at table, Ruth watching Letty.) 

{Tableau.) 



CURTAIN 




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Sold by all booksellers, or sent, prepaid, upon re- 
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